Dividing means for display cabinets



June 12, 1934. J. D. NATHAN DIVIDING MEANS FOR DISPLAY CABINETS FiledOct. 19. 1932 2576/2 rcor 7039/952 Wwf/7 /3/ altr-WJ fm M Patented June12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to the display of boxes, packages, or goods, forsale or other purposes, and the principal objects thereof are to providemeans by which such boxes, packages or articles 5;- will be held on theshelves of the store, or in other places in which they are displayed, inuniform piles with their edges in vertical lines and their front endsall in the same plane; to provide a construction which can be adjustedfor boxes, i packages or articles of different sizes, and to providethese advantages in a simple and inexpensive form which will notnecessitate the redesigning or rebuilding of any part of the showcabinets now employed in such places.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is afront elevation of a store display l cabinet showing the way in whichboxes and articles can be stored therein in accordance with thisinvention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, on enlarged scale,showing in plan one of these 4dividing devices, and showing how it isused, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Stores are now usually supplied with open front display cabinets formedof vertical partitions 10 and horizontal shelves 11. The compartmentsformed by these shelves and vertical partitions are not divided in anyway, and anything that is displayed therein for sale is placed in asnear vertical rows as possible. Whenever one of these boxes or the likeis taken out from near the bottom of the shelves, those on top aredropped down into the space left thereby and there is nothing to keepthem in accurate vertical order. They gradually assume a more or lessuntidy appearance and often they stay that way for days until someonegoes around and straightens them up. Even that is not done veryaccurately ordinarily. The main purpose of this invention is to insureneatness of appearance of the articles piled 45 .up on these shelves.

It has been observed that between each two adjacent shelves and betweeneach two vertical partitions there is a compartment adapted to receivetwo or more rows of articles. These compartments have to be made deepenough to contain any boxes or articles that are likely to be used inthem, and usually they are used with boxes that are not long enough tofill them. There is nothing to prevent some of them from being 4pushedback somewhat further than others.

In the present case the above mentioned difficulties are overcome. Apiece 12 of board or other material is placed in the back of thiscompartment and this is of such width that it will space a longitudinalvertical back 13 the proper distance 60y from the back of thecompartment. Thus the articles which are placed in front of this back'13, such as a series of uniform boxes 14, can be pushed back againstthe back 13, and the front ends will all line up in a plane. 'I'hissolves one of 65 the di'iculties above mentioned.

Attached either permanently or adjustably to the backs 13 are a seriesof transverse division members 15. These may extend throughout theheight of the back or not, as desired. In the form shown they areillustrated as of the same height as the backs 13, and they areconnected with the backs by yielding sheet metal clips 16 at top andbottom. These clips are provided with opposite spaced, downwardlyextending flanges 17 at the sides and a transverse downwardly extendingflange 18 at the rear end, spaced from the rear ends of the flanges 17 adistance equal to the width of the back piece 13. Therefore, when theseclips are placed on the backs, as shown, they t the tops and bottoms ofthese backs. This space between the two flanges that has been mentionedmay be such that the resiliency of the rear flange 17 will act to holdthe clip in position on the back 13. In other words, they have to bepushed on and they are held by friction. In the same way the twoopposite flanges 17, with which these clips are provided, are spacedabout equal to the width of the partitions 15, fitting closely and heldin position by their natural resiliency as they are made to press towardeach other against the opposite sides of these partitions.

This construction makes it possible to move the partitions along theback so that, instead of two being used, three or more, or even one, canbe employed for boxes, packages or articles of different sizes. Theclips are not secured to the back 13, but preferably they are secured tothe l partitions 15 by fastening devices 19 in the form of brads or thelike. Thus each partition comprises two of these clips, one at thebottom and one at the top, secured thereto, and they have to be put onthe backs 13 from the ends thereof or else one of them has to be takenoff the partition 15 in order to get them on the back.

From this it will be seen that any kind of boxes, packages, or articlescan be piled in tiers in these Cabinet compartments with their frontends absolutely in alignment, and also with their side edges inalignment, so that even the most careless clerk 110 will have to putthem back in the cabinets, after they have been taken out for inspectionor for other purposes, in a perfectly neat pile. 'There is practicallyno chance of their getting out of alignment, and if they properly t thespaces between the partitions the display of these articles will alwaysbe a neat and accurate arrangement.

In cases where a single line of goods is on sale all the time and theboxes are of standard sizes, the partitions 15 cany be nailed, screwedorotherwise rmly secured in the proper places on the back 13 in accordancewith this invention.

Although I have illustrated and described only a single form of theinvention, I am aware of the fact that changes can be made therein rbyVany person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of theinvention as expressed in the claims. Therefore I do not wish to belimited to the exact form shown, but what I do .claim is:-

1. The combination with a display cabinet having an open front andconsisting .of vertical stationary partitions with horizontal shelvesbetween them providing compartments for thedisplay of goods, with aspacing member on the top of each shelf, a freely movable back pieceadapted to be set back against the spacing member to locate the backpiece in proper position, but independently movable forward therefrom,and division walls connected. with said back piece and perpendicularthereto to hold the articles on display in a series of piles with theiredges vertically aligned with each other.

2. 'In a display cabinet, the combination of a series of stationaryvertical partitions spaced apart and horizontal shelves xedly mountedbetween them to provide compartments for the display of goods, a spacingmember loose on the top `of each shelf at the rear, a verticallongitudinal back piece adapted to be set loosely back against thespacing piece to control the position of the back piece, andverticalparallel partitions mount ed on said back piece and extendingforwardly therefrom part way to the front of the cabinet, for thepurpose described.

JOSEPH D. NATHAN.

